| 问题"大"了 The Problem Is Big | |
| http://www.sina.com.cn 2004/06/09 15:34 英语广场 | |
 | |
“They called me Kwamemelon in school. I got picked last during recess, no matter what the sport. I was just too big. I couldn't move. It got so I almost hated myself. I couldn't look at myself in the mirror.” —Kwame Harris offensive tackle1 “在学校，他们都叫我克温瓜。自由活动时无论参加什么运动，我总是最后一个被挑中。我太胖了，无法行动。事情到了这个地步，连我自己都恨自己。我不敢照镜子。” ——克温·哈里斯，橄榄球队阻截队员 More kids than ever are overweight. We'll tell you about the crisis, offer some solutions. 从未有过这么多孩子体重超标。在此，我们将向你讲述这场危机，并提供一些解决办法。 Sound familiar? You might know a kid who feels just like Kwame. Maybe you feel the same way. It's no surprise2. In the past 20 years, the number of 6-to-11-year-olds with weight problems has doubled and the number of 12-to-19-year-olds with weight problems has tripled3. Kids today are well on their way to becoming the heaviest generation in history. Medical experts call the problem an epidemic4, the same word they use to describe the outbreak of a deadly virus. It's a major issue. If we don't do something, it's just going to get worse. It's a real, real worry. Being overweight as a kid could cause you to have serious health problems as you get older. Extra pounds make your heart work much harder to pump blood through your body and can lead to heart disease. Heavy adults are also more likely to suffer a stroke5, in which a blood vessel6 expands or bursts inside the brain. But overweight kids are also in danger now. They are more likely than healthy kids to develop Type II Diabetes7, an illness that can lead to blindness. And the heavier you are, the more strain8 you put on your hips, knees, and ankles. That can make it painful to exercise or play sports. If you're overweight, you've probably been told this scary stuff 9 a million times and are sick of10 hearing it. But even if you don't have a big weight problem, it pays to get in shape11. Doctors say that controlling your weight will make you feel better and help you be a better athlete. Stuffing Our Faces There's no mystery about why some kids get fat. For a few, it may be in their family's genes. If your mom or dad is fat, chances are12 you may be too. Other kids gorge on13 food when they're feeling upset or sad or even bored. Think how happy you feel when you dig into14 your favorite dessert. But experts say there are specific reasons for the current weight epidemic. Over the past 20 to 25 years, our lifestyles have changed—for the worse. People are eating more unhealthy foods, and exercising less. Here's why: * Fast-food restaurants have multiplied15. Fast food is convenient but not always healthy. * Gym classes are failing. You get little exercise in phys-ed16 class. Another problem: Many school districts have cut back on17 the number of gym classes to make time for more academic classes. * Kids are glued18 to their couches. Today's boys and girls are not as physically active as kids were 10-20 years ago. The average kid watches TV up to 24 hours every week. Those hours don't include the time kids spend playing video games, watching DVDs, or playing on the computer. * Mom and Dad are overworked. Busy parents often don't have time to prepare dinner every night. Even if they have time, well-meaning19 parents may not know how to prepare healthy meals. What You Can Do It's not always easy to control your weight. It takes willpower20 and changes in your eating habits and downtime21 activities. You also need support from your family. Tell Mom and Dad what's up22. Parents should be responsible for the choices of what their children eat. Kids can tell parents how important physical activity is and play grounds and ball fields. Low-fat foods are generally better for you. But that doesn't mean you have to give up all high-fat foods. Everyone craves23 a bag of chips every once in a while. Try and limit how often you eat high-fat foods. One trick to portion24 control is to make a tight fist. Don't eat anything larger than that. Nor should you drink more than what would fit into a tall drinking glass. Kids often gobble up25 snacks without thinking—or even tasting them—while sitting around. We suggest you put a handful of chips in a cereal bowl, put the bag away, and enjoy what you're tasting. Next, use the activities chart to think about different ways to get your body moving. Almost any activity is good, experts say, but some benefit you more than other. Finally, take pride in the small victories. If you lose a few pounds and find yourself suddenly dribbling around26 a defender who used to stuff your shot, that's cool. Kwame Harris is glad he stuck with his diet. At 6'7'', he's naturally a big man. He shed27 40 pounds before his first year at university. “There's still a tug of war28 going on inside of me,” says Harris. “Sometimes I still binge on29 food and fall off my program. But then I think, You don＇t have to be this way. It＇s in your power to change.” 听起来耳熟吧？可能你会认识与克温有同样感受的孩子。也许你自己就有同感。这并不奇怪。近20年来，6-11岁体重有问题的孩子数量增加了一倍，而12-19岁体重有问题的青少年数量则增加了两倍。如今的孩子正在成为历史上体重最重的一代。 医学专家称此问题为流行病。他们往往用这个词来描述一种致命病毒的爆发。这可是个大问题。如果我们不采取行动，情况会变得更糟。这也的确让人担心。 孩童时代体重超标，会使你长大后遭遇严重的健康问题，多余的几磅赘肉会使你的心脏供血负荷加大，从而导致心脏病。同样，体重过重的成年人也更有可能患中风，这是由于大脑内部的血管膨胀或爆裂引发的。 不过，现在体重超标的孩子也有危险了。他们比健康儿童更容易得II型糖尿病，这种病会导致失明。而且体重越重，臀部、膝盖和踝部所承受的负载也就越大，于是在锻炼或运动时就会感到疼痛。如果你体重过重，你很可能已经无数次听到过这些危言耸听的话了，而且都已经听腻味了。但是，即使你超重不严重，保持健康体形也是值得的。医生说控制体重会使你感觉更好，还能帮助你成为更好的运动员。 塞满嘴巴 不难理解为什么有些孩子会肥胖。他们中有少数可能是基因遗传。如果妈妈或爸爸肥胖，孩子可能也会肥胖。还有的孩子在感觉烦恼、悲伤、甚至厌倦时会大吃特吃。试想大嚼自己最喜爱的甜点该有多开心。 但是，专家说导致目前的肥胖流行病也有几个特殊的原因。在过去20至25年时间里，我们的生活方式改变了——变得更糟了。人们食用越来越多的不健康食品，而锻炼却越来越少。这主要有以下原因： * 快餐店成倍增多。快餐食品的确方便，但却不一定健康。 * 体育课失败。学生在体育课上运动量太少。还有一个问题：许多学校甚至减少了体育课，以便腾出时间增加文化课。 * 孩子们长时间呆在沙发里不动。现在的男孩和女孩不如10-20年前的孩子体力活跃。他们看电视的时间每周平均高达24小时。这还不包括他们花在玩电子游戏、看DVD和玩电脑的时间。 * 父母工作时间过长。忙于工作的父母往往没有时间天天做晚饭。即使一些家长有心做饭，能抽出时间，也不一定知道如何做出健康的膳食。 该做些什么 控制体重并非易事。你需要有坚强的意志，改变饮食习惯，以及利用休息时间运动。你还需要有家人的支持。把一切原原本本地告诉父母。家长应该负责子女的一日三餐。孩子们可以告诉家长体育运动、操场、球场的重要性。 一般来说，低脂肪食品对人体更有益。但是，这并不意味着你一点高脂肪食品都不能吃。人人都喜欢时不时地拿起一袋薯条来吃。设法限制食用高脂肪食品的频率，招数之一就是把每次吃的量控制在不超过一个拳头大小。每次喝饮料也不要超过一大杯。孩子们坐着没事时想都不想就大吃快餐食品，甚至不细细品味。我们建议你每次吃薯条时，拿出一把放在麦片碗里，收起袋子，然后开始尽情品尝。 还有一招，想出一些活动身体的运动，绘制一个运动图表。专家们认为：几乎所有运动对人体都有益处，但是有些运动会对你好处更大。 最后，对自己取得的每一点进步都感到自豪。当你减掉几磅体重后，突然发现可以在阻挡自己射球的对方后卫身边运球自如时，那种感觉真是太棒了。 克温·哈里斯对自己能坚持节食感到高兴。他身高6英尺7英寸，自然是个大块头。他比上大学一年级时轻了40磅。“我的内心仍然有激烈的思想斗争，”哈里斯说，“有的时候，我还是贪吃，于是计划落空。但随后便会想，你可不能这样。得靠你的毅力来改变这一切。”
| |
| 【英语学习论坛】【评论】【大 中 小】【打印】【关闭】 |
北京市通信公司提供网络带宽
